Chapter 18,

-5 years earlier-

"Miran, come on you can do it!" Jaeho called out as I clung for dear life from the obsticle course. I let out a low hiss as the muscles in my arms ached from how long I had been stuck in this position. I had to pass, if I didn't I couldn't continue on with the others. I would be left behind and I didn't want to after I finally found and kept friends. Jaeho, Kyungil, Gyuri, Hoya, and Wooyoung. I hadn't made any friends up until this point and if I didn't pass this they'd all go ahead and leave me behind.

They were my strength to continue because the truth was I hated this place. My parents were the one's who urged me to start an occupation here. But in reality this place is like a prison. I never got to attend high school, I was educated here even before I was placed here as a trainee. I never got to make friends, friends that I'd get to hang out with on weekends. I missed out on a normal life.

My parents urged me to continue, they'd give me false hope. For example, first love. I never thought I'd get to experience that lovely event but they promised it would happen here and I naively believed them.

But I began to have hope whenever I met my friends. I wasn't alone here anymore.

"Miran hurry!" Wooyoung cheered from her seat beside Hoya.

I smiled to myself and took a deep breath finally continuing down the path until the end. Once I landed on the ground in the safe zone Section One Leader Amber congratulated me. She was in charge of training us for physical combat and was always urging me to try harder.

Amber took off to get another trainee started on the course while everyone surrounded me.

"Yay! Now everyone has passed!" Jaeho exclaims happily. I noticed Gyuri seemed a bit gloomy at his words. I open my mouth to ask her whenever my eyes see someone coming towards me.

Kyungil comes forward with a bright smile on his face and brings me into a hug and swings me around. I laugh as he spins me around and finally he sets me back down. "Are you sure about joining Section Four? You should join Section Six with me and Jaeho."

"Yah, you know I'm going to Section Four because of my parents. You know I can't join another." I sigh, that's right I'll have to leave everyone soon. It didn't matter that I made friends now whenever I'd lose them in a couple years any ways.

Jaeho and Kyungil were going for Section Six, Gyuri for Section Three, Hoya for Section Two, and Wooyoung for Section Section Five. I wouldn't be together with any of them in a few years.

I saw Gyuri eyeing Kyungil up and down with nervous eyes. The girl had an obvious crush on him but he never seemed to notice the signs. She turns away once she notices I've caught on.

"Gyuri how did your test go?" I ask her with a smile.

Her eyes widen a bit as she glances to the ground. "Oh it was great, I did really well..." She says quickly.

I met eyes with Jaeho who gave me an odd look but shrugs it off before pulling Hoya to the side to joke around with him and his crush on one of Wooyoung's other friends. Wooyoung joins in and soon it's just Kyungil, Gyuri and I standing in a disproportioned triangle.

"So," Kyungil clears his throat smiling towards me. "Want to come to the boy's dorm tonight and watch a movie?"

"Hmm, sure." I nod towards him moving to circle an arm around Gyuri, she glances towards me an unreadable look on her face. "Gyuri and I will be by later!" I pull her away determined to figure out why she was so down all of the sudden.

Once we're to the laundry room and alone she shrugs my arm off her shoulder and steps away. She spares me a glance before turning away.

"Why are you so upset suddenly?" I ask her confused, I moved to stand in front of the washer that had all my clothes inside it.

She makes some weird sound before turning around, it almost looked like she had a pissed off look on her face.

"Gyuri?" I question her, she was acting extremely weird. "Is it because of Kyungil?"

Her eyes were suddenly a blazing fire. So it was.

"Why don't you just tell him you like him? He seems super dense." I sigh grabbing my laundry basket and sitting it on top of the washer beside mine.

"Someone else is super dense as well." I heard her mumble.

I glance back at her. "Hmm?"

"Nothing. I couldn't take the test, Miran. So I didn't pass." She finally let's it out. "I'm just under so much pressure from my parents to get into Section Two but you know I'm way better at computers, I want to go into Section Three."

I sigh once more before standing. "Then go against them and try the test for Section Three."

She shakes her head. "I did, Miran. I went to take the exam today, but I couldn't do it. I haven't studied a single bit."

"Oh, well why don't you ask the one guy to help you. You know that one guy who is always studying, he seems to be good with computers as well." I shrug, noticing the guy himself walk into the room. His eyes met with Gyuri's and he nods in awknowledgment. His eyes move to me before moving away once more.

"Hey!" I try and get his attention once again. "My friend here..."

Gyuri scoffs. "Shut up, Miran. I'll do it myself, I don't need help."

I'm taken back by her words as she rushes out. Did I offend her somehow? I only wanted to help. I run a hand through my hair and sigh for the third time in the past five minutes. I turn back towards the empty laundry basket but I felt someone's gaze on me.

The smart guy was staring at me.

"Oh sorry about her." I mutter towards him. "My friend is just really sensitive, she didn't mean anything by it. You're super smart so I suggested you to help her."

"Are you mocking me for being smart?" He mumbles back.

I wave my hands dismissively. "No no no, of course not. I actually admire you a lot, I wish I was smart."

I saw his lips twitch into a small smile.

"Whoa I've never seen you smile before!" I point it out